# Zenith Bank Awards N190m to African Innovators

> Zenith Bank gives ₦190m to African tech innovators at sixth tech fair.
- Title: Zenith Bank Awards N190m to African Innovators | Shortify
- Summary: Zenith Bank gives ₦190m to African tech innovators at sixth tech fair. Zenith Bank awarded ₦190m to 13 winners across three innovation competitions at its…
- Keywords: zenith bank, tech fair, innovation competitions, african innovators, fintech, startup pitch, hackathon, future innovators challenge, secondary school students, mentorship program, textbook redistribution, Premium Times Nigeria
- Source: Premium Times Nigeria — https://premiumtimesng.com/promoted/923442-zenith-bank-awards-n190m-to-african-innovators-at-sixth-tech-fair.html
- Author: Press Release
- Published: 2026-11-07T11:15:23+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: zenith bank, tech fair, innovation competitions, african innovators, ai, fintech, startup pitch, hackathon, future innovators challenge, secondary school students, mentorship program, textbook redistribution
## Zenith Bank Tech Fair 2026
Zenith Bank awards ₦190m to 13 winners across three innovation competitions at its sixth tech fair.
## Event Details
Held virtually on Thursday, 5 November 2026, under theme 'AI: Embrace or Extinct'.
## Competitions
Three competitions: Hackathon, Startup Pitch Competition, Future Innovators Challenge.
## Hackathon Winners
Team Solo won with ₦35m, 10x Brains second with ₦20m, Rumour Hunters third with ₦15m.
## Startup Pitch Winners
Cutstruct Technology Limited won with ₦35m, Sproutly second with ₦20m, PharmaRun third with ₦15m.
## Future Innovators Challenge Winners
Caleb British International School won with ₦5m, Queen of the Rosary College second with ₦3m, Regina Pacis International School third with ₦2m.
## Winning Solutions
Cutstruct’s LiveVend transforms construction procurement, Sproutly simplifies school payments, PharmaRun improves medication access.
## Mentorship Program
Winners receive six-week mentorship and incubation to refine solutions and scale innovations.
## Jim Ovia’s Vision
Jim Ovia aims to empower young people through technology, creating global impact leaders.
## Dr Adaora Umeoji’s Remarks
Dr Adaora Umeoji stressed Africa’s role in global AI revolution and urged embracing AI technology.
## Lagos State Governor’s Support
Lagos State Governor praised Zenith Bank’s tech contributions and commitment to innovation.
## Minister of Innovation’s Endorsement
Minister of Innovation highlighted public-private collaboration for economic opportunities.
## Keynote Speaker
Zach Kass, former Head of Go-to-Market at OpenAI, discussed AI and human judgement.
## Bank’s History
Zenith Tech Fair started with founder Jim Ovia’s vision for young tech talent.
## Past Winners
Previous winners developed solutions like JumpnPass, CreditChek, TrustLoop, and Cubbes Technologies.
## Future Focus
Zenith Bank extends support to secondary school students through Future Innovators Challenge.
## Key takeaway

Zenith Bank awarded ₦190m to 13 winners across three innovation competitions at its sixth tech fair.